by Muriel Larson
**We would love to hear from you on our very active blog: http://thelife.com/blogs/experience/devotionalforwomen/ and click on “comments”.
“The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).
Think about the professing Christians you know. There’s Jenna, always bubbling with joy and enthusiasm for the Lord. You may almost envy her for her relationship with Jesus Christ.
Sometimes you may not be able to understand the joy she maintains—like the difficult time she went through when her mother was in the hospital, or the problems a feisty relative has been giving her. Why doesn’t she get angry, worried, or depressed, like most people would? How can she stand there in church with a joyful smile on her face while singing a praise song? If you ask her about it, she exclaims, “Oh, I’m looking up!”
You also notice that Jenna loves to talk about the Lord and speaks of Him as though He is with her all the time. You sense that she is truly trusting in her living Lord.
Life Lesson: Biblical perspective on the end times
Experience It: Living in the power of the Holy Spirit
And then, of course, there’s Monica. Every time something goes wrong for her you can see it written all over her face and hear it in her complaints.
FROM DESPAIR TO JOY
When Jesus died on the cross, His disciples became the most sorrowful people in the world. But when they saw Christ after He rose from the grave, their hearts were filled with joy. When we realize He is alive and present in our lives, we know the joy Christ promised to His followers.
WHAT ROBS US OF JOY
*ANGER, BITTERNESS, RESENTMENT robs us of joy. How do we get rid of these hurtful feelings? By forgiving those who hurt us. See Ephesians 4:32.
*LACK OF FAITH robs us of joy. “God let me down; He allowed this to happen,” is a Satanic implant. Christians like Jenna reject such self-pity. Instead they claim Proverbs 3:5: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Doing that restores joy.
*DISCOURAGEMENT robs us of joy. We start dwelling on our troubles instead of looking to the Lord. Joyful Christians trust that God will work all things for good in their lives.
*SIN robs us of joy-that means disobedience of any kind.
TRUE JOY
Do you long to know real joy? The Bible says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8-9).
Jesus Christ said, “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:10-11).
If you really want that joy of the Lord, read John 14, 15, and 16 to find out what else Jesus said.
Our Lord is in the transforming business. If we turn our lives over to Him completely, He comes into them, cleans them up, and makes us into new persons. And as we walk with Him and grow in Him, He makes us more and more like Himself—loving, joyful, and caring.
Questions: It’s easy to talk about our having joy, but what if we’re living in a bad, depressing situation? I’m angry about all the bad things people have done to me. How can I have joy?
About the Author: http://talk.thelife.com/experience/devotionalforwomen/authors/muriel-larson/
Tags: anger, bitterness, dispair, joy, resentment
Connecting Through Technology
Do you use technology to stay in touch with family and friends?
>Watch
What a joy it is Chris to have you back with us! And Fran, I often wonder how you are and cherish whatever time you can have with us. Must go to work now but will try to comment later today. Love to you all. Praise God for He is worthy!!Donna
DonnaL…Believing for you and Steve, too..and for his interview tomorrow..God will be with him!!! Bless you, dear Sister..and thank you for your kind prayers for us all across the miles, too! Your corner at work must “glow”!!Ongoing prayers, here, too! (((DonnaL and Steve)))
Thank you Marilyn, Kc, Lorelei, Romel, Donna, and Patti for your encouragement. And to all of you “girls,” I think it is wonderful the way you take this opportunity to minister to one another. May God bless you every one!
In His love, Dr. Muriel
linda r i will keep chris in my prayers i know she has a lot of problems with her legs . i am going to put her on our special unspoken prater list at church
sharon b
so glad for chris now we can she her comments again
sharon b
chris t
so glad to see you back. and am praying for your problems with your legs
sharon b
our neighbor and dear friend kate is still in the hospital and she is not doing good at all. she has been like a second mother to us and is very important to us but she has had a mini stroke and is now in congestive heart falure. she is very weak and also has copd and her breathing is not very good. i think and so to the dr. that The Lord will be calling her home soon. please pray for her sons and for us to she is so important to us she is a member of our family too.
sharon b
Sweet Lord, as the evening comes to a close, we thank You for today, for the love that is shared at this site, and for the joy You have given to Your children! Thank You, Lord, for filling our hearts with songs of praise and worship, while we face the challenges that life brings! Father, as daylight slips away, we ask that You ever so gently usher Sharon’s dear neighbor and friend, Kate, into Your Holy Presence, releasing her from her wearied body! Have mercy upon her, Lord, and please limit her suffering, we pray. Comfort those close to her, particularly her sons and Sharon’s family, as they wait upon You. Surround them all with Your tender, loving Spirit! We pray these things in the precious Name of Jesus, Amen!
I just recently subscribed to these devotionals. Today I saw the link to this comment/chat board. This is such a blessing…to see a board dedicated to Women of God. It was 9 years ago that I was reborn. My life and testimony is truly a miracle of God. Too long and drawn out to go into now. One thing my walk with the Lord has taught me…is to count it all JOY! This was not a knowledge that I obtained from reading it in scripture, nor from a sermon. Learning this was the result of a process which began when I turned my life over to Christ. God is all powerful, even the enemy has to get permission from God before satan can bring what appears to be havoc in our lives, God must allow it. God uses these seasons of trails to grow our faith and to bring us closer to him. It’s part of God’s process. Although it’s not always easy, you can count trails as joy. God’s throws nothing away. Everything he allows to happen is for our good and his Glory. He wants Glory. Glory for bringing you out of your situation, Glory when you share your testimony of his goodness. If you can remember that your affliction is your assignment and that God will use it to reveal his miracles to someone who is desperately in need of deliverance from the enemy’s strongholds. It’ the process of counting it all JOY!
Dear DB,
What a blessing you are to this devotional blog! Welcome and please comment often. I’ve learned so much thru these ladies and oh my, for 9 years a Christian….what wisdom you have!
Look forward to more!
Welcome DB! May your time here be a blessing both to you and to others! I think it’s worthy to consider that not all difficulties that we encounter as Christians are necessarily ‘trials’ that our Lord has ordained for us. While He has providential dominion over our lives, and therefore authorizes all circumstances, sometimes our difficulties arise from our disobedience or unrepentent sin, and sometimes they are the consequences of poor choices we’ve made. While His love doesn’t always rescue us from our circumstances, it envelops us with hope and new eyes to see Him in our midst!
There is no doubt that many situations in our lives are the direct result of our choices, especially in disobedience. Our Father is an all knowing God, so even when we are disobedient it doesn’t suprise God. He knows us better than we know ourselves and he knows the end before the beginning. I thank God that he uses it all for our own good. Not only do I pray to rebuke the enemy, but I also pray to rebuke the enemy, “in a me”.
I would agree that God ‘uses’ the difficulties that we encounter, due to bad choices or sinful disobedience, to chasten and redirect us; however, while He may use it, it would not be His plan for us. As He has given man the element of choice, we are free to choose sin. Such a choice, however, comes with spiritual consequences. As Christians, this would include loss of His blessing, loss of peace and joy in our lives, suffering. He is a Holy God, and He redeemed us, and set us apart for holy living, and has given us His Spirit to empower us to live as such. Not perfect people, but a people striving to honor Him with their lives.
Marilyn thank you for your last comment I think that is very true.
Marilyn, very well put. Thank you for adding a much needed clarity to my words. The things that you speak of are truly a Word from the Lord. I hope that many can use your words and take heed, rather than to go through the harsh lessons and delay of blessings that go along with disobedience. Like I have. God Bless You.
Like we all have, my dear sister-in-Christ! ;) And, may God bless you as well, DB! :)